Floor finishing machines



March 17, 1964 P vlNELLA 3,124,911

. FLOOR FINISHING MACHINES Filed July 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

FRANK I? WNELLA I? 5 J 4770mm March 17, 1964 F. P. VINELLA FLOORFINISHING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1962 INVENTOR. Flame1? WNELZA flwfl United States Patent 3,124,911 FLOOR FWISHENG MACHINESFrank P. Vinella, 2536 24th Ave. 5., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed July 17,1962, Ser. No. 210,354 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-177) This invention relatesbroadly to floor finishing machines, more particularly to a machine forfinishing terrazzo, stone, concrete, and like floor surfaces, and morespecifically to a floor finishing machine of the class described havingan adjustable operating handle, interchangeable weight means, and anelectrical power system embodying a phase converter whereby the machinemay be selectively operated on three phase or single phase electricalpower.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a floor machinehaving an adjustable operating guide handle, wherein said handle may bereadily adjustable to an eflicent openating position for any givenoperator, and further to facilitate storage of the machine and toimprove maneuverability of the same in confined areas.

A further object of this invention is to provide a floor machine havingremovable interlocking weight members whereby grinding stone pressureson a work surface may be easily varied by the simple expedient of merelyadding or removing certain of said weight members from the floormachine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor machine embodyingthe use of a phase converter whereby three phase power may be convertedto single phase power.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor machine havingmeans indicating that the machine is not level relative to its worksurface due to grinding stone wear, and means whereby the said machinemay be adjusted for level operation relative to said work surface.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing specification and claims when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this application, and inwhich drawings, like characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of thefollowing devices and combination of devices hereinafter described anddefined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention as an entirety alsoshowing a conventional phase converter unit independent of the machineitself.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section some parts beingshown in a dotted position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view partly in section taken on the line3-4; of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is also an enlarged detail view partly in section taken on theline 44 of FIG. 3, some parts being broken away.

The present application is to be generally directed to a floor machinehaving an adjustable operating and guide handle means; adjustable weightmeans; and the combination of a phase converter with the regularelectrical power system of the floor machine whereby the standard threephase power system may be temporarily adapted for use with single phaseelectrical current. Accordingly, it is not thought to be necessary forthe purpose of this application, to describe in detail, all componentparts of the machine hereinafter identified and described. In thisconnection however, it is important to note: the electric motor 6 whichis connected to a suitable power source, not shown, whereby the machineis energized; the water tank 7 which acts as a reservoir for water usedto lubricate the work surfaces; the gear case cover 8 or housing;

3,124,911 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 the front splash guard 9; and the rearsplash guard 10; the driven spider 11; the driving spider 12; theflexible coupling 13; the grinding stones 14; and the truck wheel unit,affording a running gear, assembly as an entirety 15. The foregoingcomponents are all disclosed on the drawings as essential features ofthe structure of the machine as an entirety, but as stated, no inventiveconcept is involved in these components and hence they are only referredto in a general way.

The numeral 16 is directed to a plurality of interlocking Weight membersthat are removably mounted on a pair of laterally spaced weight rods 17,secured to a pair of bearing caps 18 which are formed on the uppersurface of the gear case cover or housing 8. These weight rods 17 extendupwardly from the said bearing caps 18 and are dimensioned to engagecooperating bores 19 formed in the weight members 6 with a relativelyloose working fit to thus facilitate the removal or addition of saidweight members 16 as required.

A guide and operating handle assembly is mounted at its inner endportion to a pair of right and left hand han dle brackets 29 that alsoserve as a mounting station for the water tank 7 The lower end portionsof the handle mounting brackets 29 are secured to the gear case cover orhousing 8 by means of screw threaded studs 21, said handle mountingbrackets 2%) being provided with upper and lower pairs of outwardlyprojecting bosses 22 having screw threaded bores. The lowermost of saidbosses 22 aiford a mount for the inner end portion of a pair of handleside members 23 which are secured to said lowermost bosses 22 by meansof studs 24, said studs having screw threaded engagement with thethreaded bores in the said bosses 22. The uppermost bosses 22 on thehandle mounting brackets 29 afford a mounting station for the inner endportion of a pair of stop side bars 25 which are pivotally securedthereto for purposes that will presently appear.

A handle bar 26 having outwardly projecting grip sections 27 connectsthe handle side members 2-3 at their respective upper end portions. Itis important to note for purposes that will also presently appear, thatthe underside of the handle side members 23, at substantially thelongitudinal centers thereof, are provided with a plurality of semi-crcular notches 28.

A positioning shaft 29 is journaled at its respective outer end portionsin bores formed adjacent the outer end portion of the stop side bars 25.These stop side bars 25 are mounted outwardly of the handle side members23 and a pair of stop collar members 39 having pins 31 are provided tosecure the positioning shaft 29 and the stop side bars 25 againstendwise movements on the said positioning shaft. The said positioningshaft 29 is dimensioned to engage any one of the plurality ofsemi-circular notches 28 formed in the underside of the handle sidemembers 23, and as will presently appear, the same may be held locked inany of such predetermined positions.

A pair of sliding blocks 32 are constructed and arranged to run on eachof the said handle side members 23 and are provided with bores 33through which the positioning shaft 29 passes and is thereby supportedrelative to the said handle side members 23, and the stop side bars 25.The said sliding blocks 32 are held positioned against longitudinalendwise movements on the positioning shaft 29 by means of a stop collar34 having a pin 35 to lock the same to the said positioning shaft 29.

The entire handle assembly, com-prising the right and left handle sidemembers 23, the handle bar 26, and the operating elements, the upperhydraulic unit 35 and the electric switch box 36 are verticallysupported by the engagement of the handle side members 23 and the handlestop side bars 25 and is adjustable to provide a comfortable andefficient position relative to the operator and to facilitate storageand transport together with improved maneuverability in confined areas.

As stated, the outer end portions of the positioning shaft 29 arejournaled in the outer end portions of the stop side bars 25 and thestop collar members 36* are locked to the positioning shaft 29' by pins31 to prevent endwise lateral movement of the stop side bars 25 relativeto the position-ing shaft 29. The sliding blocks 32 are constructed andarranged for longitudinal sliding movements on the respective handleside members 23 and are provided with transverse bores 33 to receive thepositioning shaft 29 with a close Working fit and thereby hold the saidstop side bars 25 and the handle side members 23 in working arrangement.

An adjusting notch 38 is formed in each end portion of the positioningshaft 29, said notches being in alignment with the respective handleside members 23 and the respective semi-circular notches 28 formed inthe underside of the said handle side members. A stop pin 39 is fittedinto the inner face of the left hand sliding block 32 and projectsinwardly thereof for engagement with an indexing stop collar 40 mountedon the left hand side of the positioning shaft 29 and locked theretoagainst axial movement by a pin 41. The stop collar 34 is mounted toafford endwise abutting engagement with the indexing stop collar 40 andas stated is also pinned to the positioning shaft 29.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that to change the elevation orposition of the handle assembly as an entirety, the control handle 43actuating the positioning shaft 29 is moved into a position wherein theadjustment notches 38 in said positioning shaft are positioned to facethe underside of the handle side members 23 in which position, theentire positioning shaft assembly is free for longitudinal slidingmovements on the said handle side members 23 and supported thereon bythe sliding blocks 32. Selectively, this entire assembly may be moved upor down along the said handle side members 23 into register with any oneof the plurality of the semi-circular notches 28 in the underside of thesaid handle side members. When so positioned and adjusted according tothe operator, the control handle 43 is again moved 180 degrees about itshorizontal axis and thus rotate the full round surface of thepositioning shaft 29, diametrically opposite the adjustment notches 38into register and interlocking engagement with any pair of opposedsemi-circular notches 28 in the respective right and left hand handleside members 23. In this position, with positioning shaft 29 inengagement with the adjustment notches 38, the entire handle assembly isrigidly locked in a position for most eflicient operation by any givenoperator.

It will be understood, that the indexing stop collar 4%, cooperatingwith the fixed stop pin 39 in the sliding blocks 32, will limit andcontrol the axial rotation of the positioning shaft 29, actuated by thecontrol handle 43, to provide that the movement of the said control,acting on the positioning shaft 29, will move the adjustment notches 38,into or out of engagement with the respective cooperating semi-circularnotches 28 on the right and left hand side members 23'. This control isnormally so adjusted that the said control handle 4-3 must be movedthrough its entire arc of movement to engage and/ or release thepositioning shaft 23 from engagement with the adjustment notches 38 onthe handle side members 23. It will be understood that the controlhandle assembly is held against axial rotation on the positioning shaft2-9 by means of a pin 45.

The subject floor machine described herein is constructed and designedto operate on either three phase or single phase electric currentselectively by embodying the use of a conventional phase converter 46and conventional connections 47 therefor on the floor machine. As shownon the drawings the phase converter 46 is a i separate commercial unitand the numeral 47 is directed to the phase switch and lock unit.

While there are herein disclosed but a limited number of embodiments ofthe structure, process and product of the invention herein presented, itis possible to produce still other embodiments without departing fromthe inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore,that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as arestated herein or required by the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. A floor finishing machine comprising in combination, a running gearincluding at least one supporting Wheel, a spider alfording a mountingstation for a plurality of grinding stones, an electric motor supportedby the running gear and adapted to be energized by a source of electriccurrent, gearing and flexible driving connections between the electricmotor and the spider whereby said spider is rotated about a verticalaxis, a housing surrounding said spider and its driving connections,adjustable weight means mounted on the housing whereby the engagement ofthe grinding stones with work surfaces may be varied, an improved handleassembly for guiding the machine at its work said handle assemblyfurther affording a mounting station for electrical and hydrauliccontrol components, said improved handle assembly providing adjustingmeans therefor and comprising, a handle bar having grip sections, a pairof opposed handle brackets mounted on the housing and a pair ofrearwardly projecting handle stop side bars pivotally mounted at theirrespective inner end portions to the said handle brackets, a pair ofhandle side members pivotally mounted at their respective inner endportions on the said handle brackets at a point beneath the mountingposition of the said handle stop side bars, the outer end portion of thehandle stop side bars being provided with transverse bores to receive apositioning shaft and the outer end portion of the handle side membersbeing terminated and secured to the handle bar, said positioning shaftbeing mounted in the said handle stop bars for limited rotation aboutits longitudinal axis, a plurality of longitudinally spaced positionsdefined in the underside of the respective handle side members aifordingmeans for engagement with the positioning shaft and adjustable meanscarried by the said handle side members for connecting and locking thehandle side members and the handle stop side bars in engagement, the onewith the other.

2. A floor finishing machine comprising in combination, a running gearincluding a pair of rearwardly mounted supporting truck wheels and aspider mounted forwardly of said pair of truck wheels, said spideraifordmg a mounting station for a plurality of grinding stones havingwork engaging surfaces, an electric motor supported by the running gearand the grinding stones when the latter are in engagement with the saidwork surface, said electric motor adapted to be selectively energized bythree phase or single phase electric current, gearing and flexibledriving connections between the electric motor and the spider wherebysaid spider and its mounted grinding stones is rotated about a verticalaxis, a housing surrounding the spider and its driving connections, aplurality of interchangeable, removable weight members mounted instacked arrangement on the housing whereby the engagement of thegrinding stones with the work surface may be varied as required, animproved handle assembly for guiding the floor machine at its work saidimproved handle assembly being vertically adjustable and comprising ahandle bar having grip sections, a pair of handle brackets mounted onthe housing and a pair of rearwardly projecting handle stop side barspivotally mounted at their respective inner end portions to the saidhandle brackets, a pair of handle side members pivotally mounted attheir respective inner end portions to the said handle brackets at aposition beneath the mounting station for the said handle stop sidebars, the outer end portion of the handle side members being secured tothe handle bar, a positioning shaft journaled in the outer end portionof the handle stop side bars for limited rotation about its longitudinalaxis, said positioning shaft having a pair of longitudinally spacedadjusting notches formed therein adjacent the outer end portions thereofand in substantially vertical alignment with the lower edge portions ofthe handle side members, a plurality of longitudinally disposedsemi-circular notches formed in the underside of the said handle sidemembers substantially at the longitudinal center thereof, a slidingblock mounted for longitudinal sliding movements on each handle sidemember said sliding blocks having a transverse bore through which thepositioning shaft extends, means integral with said sliding blockswhereby the same engage and are supported by the respective handle sidemembers, stop means mounted on the positioning shaft whereby the slidingblocks are held against endwise movements on the positioning shaft andindexing means mounted on the positioning shaft whereby the saidpositioning shaft may be rotated about its longitudinal axis to manuallyand selectively engage the positioning shaft with the semi-circularnotches on the underside of the handle side members and thereby lock thehandle assembly in a predetermined position.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the said semicircular notches on theunderside of each handle side memher, and the longitudinally spacednotches adjacent the end portions of the positioning shaft are inalignment to afiord cooperation therebetween, whereby, when the saidpositioning shaft is rotated about its longitudinal axis and the notchesthereof in alignment with the semicircular notches on the handle sidemembers, the entire handle assembly and its mounted components is freeto slide, supported by the sliding blocks, on the respective handle sidemembers and conversely, when the said positioning shaft is rotated aboutits longitudinal axis to position its full round portion diametricallyopposite the said notches, in engagement with a pair of opposedsemicircular notches on the handle side members, the entire handleassembly is rigidly locked in its predetermined position.

4. The structure defined in claim 2 further including a horizontallydisposed, inwardly projecting stop pin mounted in one of said slidingblocks and indexing stop collar mounted on the positioning shaftadjacent one of said sliding blocks, having means cooperating with thesaid stop pin whereby the rotating axial movements of the positioningshaft is limited to thus engage or disengage the said positioning shaftfrom the semi-circular notches on the handle side members.

5. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein the positioning shaft isrotated about a degree axis by a manually manipulated handle memberrigidly secured against axial movement on the positioning shaft, saidhandle member being located at substantially the longitudinal center ofthe said positioning shaft.

6. The structure of claim 2 further including a pair of spaced, upwardlyprojecting weight rods rigidly secured in the housing substantiallyoverlying the grinding stones, a plurality of interchangeable andremovable weight members having aligned bores dimensioned to coincidewith the said weight rods, said weight members being constructed tonest, one on another in stacked arrangement and be held so positioned bythe said weight rods, to aiford means whereby the weight or pressure ofthe grinding stones may be varied.

7. The structure of claim 2 further including a pair of stop collars onthe outer end portions of the positioning shaft whereby the respectivehandle stop side bars are held positioned on said positioning shaft andin relatively close fitting abutting engagement with the handle sidemembers and the sliding blocks mounted thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,126,615 Cavicchi Jan. 26, 1915 1,635,000 Lennox July 5, 1927 1,901,681Vicenzi Mar. 14, 1933 1,958,071 Vinel la May 8, 1934 2,205,492 Reid June25, 1940 2,242,229 Curleigh May 20, 1941 2,731,590 Smith Jan. 17, 19562,793,476 Lombardo May 28, 1957 2,923,107 Biasoni Feb. 2, 1960 2,967,314Kowalewski Jan. 10, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 846,054 Great Britain Aug. 24,1960

1. A FLOOR FINISHING MACHINE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A RUNNING GEARINCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SUPPORTING WHEEL, A SPIDER AFFORDING A MOUNTINGSTATION FOR A PLURALITY OF GRINDING STONES, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR SUPPORTEDBY THE RUNNING GEAR AND ADAPTED TO BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE OF ELECTRICCURRENT, GEARING AND FLEXIBLE DRIVING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE ELECTRICMOTOR AND THE SPIDER WHEREBY SAID SPIDER IS ROTATED ABOUT A VERTICALAXIS, A HOUSING SURROUNDING SAID SPIDER AND ITS DRIVING CONNECTIONS,ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING WHEREBY THE ENGAGEMENT OFTHE GRINDING STONES WITH WORK SURFACES MAY BE VARIED, AN IMPROVED HANDLEASSEMBLY FOR GUIDING THE MACHINE AT ITS WORK SAID HANDLE ASSEMBLYFURTHER AFFORDING A MOUNTING STATION FOR ELECTRICAL AND HYDRAULICCONTROL COMPONENTS, SAID IMPROVED HANDLE ASSEMBLY PROVIDING ADJUSTINGMEANS THEREFOR AND COMPRISING, A HANDLE BAR HAVING GRIP SECTIONS, A PAIROF OPPOSED HANDLE BRACKETS MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING AND A PAIR OFREARWARDLY PROJECTING HANDLE STOP SIDE BARS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT THEIRRESPECTIVE INNER END PORTIONS TO THE SAID HANDLE BRACKETS, A PAIR OFHANDLE SIDE MEMBERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT THEIR RESPECTIVE INNER ENDPORTIONS ON THE SAID HANDLE BRACKETS AT A POINT BENEATH THE MOUNTINGPOSITION OF THE SAID HANDLE STOP SIDE BARS, THE OUTER END PORTION OF THEHANDLE STOP SIDE BARS BEING PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSE BORES TO RECEIVE APOSITIONING SHAFT AND THE OUTER END PORTION OF THE HANDLE SIDE MEMBERSBEING TERMINATED AND SECURED TO THE HANDLE BAR, SAID POSITIONING SHAFTBEING MOUNTED IN THE SAID HANDLE STOP BARS FOR LIMITED ROTATION ABOUTITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POSITIONSDEFINED IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RESPECTIVE HANDLE SIDE MEMBERS AFFORDINGMEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE POSITIONING SHAFT AND ADJUSTABLE MEANSCARRIED BY THE SAID HANDLE SIDE MEMBERS FOR CONNECTING AND LOCKING THEHANDLE SIDE MEMBERS AND THE HANDLE STOP SIDE BARS IN ENGAGEMENT, THE ONEWITH THE OTHER.